19 replies to this topic

[doohanOK]

I just wanted to know something about ITV's F1 Contract.

Does anyone know what the terms of ITV's F1 contract is? How many years it is for? And how much they are paying?

regards,
doohanOK.

[SideWaysBob]

through the nose

[Ali_G]

I beleive that they have extended it untl 2006. Did't they sign a contract to show the morning warm up last year. Yt I didn't see any morning warm up.

Niall

[Spot]

I didn'tr see any live US GP coverage either, although they promised to show them all live.

[BrundleBud]

Just because ITV pay a fortune for the contract to show F1 live, it doesn't mean that they are obliged to show it live. They have to do what (to them) makes sound business sense, so if that means shifting the F1 coverage to ITV2 to make way for shows with larger audiences, and showing it delayed on ITV then that's what they are going to do!

It sucks, I know, but they have a business to run. If it was still on BBC it would be on BBC2, as it doesn't attract a large enough audience to justify shifting something from prime-time BBC1.

I guess we just have to put up with it...and watch CART delayed as well, but that's another story!

[Mr Pink]

And yet ITV will delay Coronation Street for 2 hours so that a football match that attracts half (if that) as big a viewing audience can be shown.

So it isnt the whole issue that more people watch the soaps.

A sporting occasion, should be shown live. Christ, it was only once that they had to do it (USA). Does it matter that the soaps go out at a slightly different time. Maybe it will give the people that watch them time to get a life.

Oh, and there is the small matter that ITV said they would show them all live.

[BrundleBud]

When was the last time that a Man United match drew a smaller TV crowd than an F1 race? (bearing in mind as well that weekday audiences are considerably smaller than weekends)

[Mr Pink]

I meant a typical football match, does not beat the Coronation Street viewing figures not the F1 race.

[Katherine]

Oh boy, there's an incitement for me to spit venom if ever I saw a topic thread like it! Hold me back! It's not just ITV's decision to tape-delay the US GP that I have trouble with. It's the general slip-slide to shambolically low standards of coverage by ITV that I also am annoyed with.

British viewers have never had any live qualifying coverage from either Canada or Malaysia since ITV's broadcast tenure of F1 started.

ITV seem to have cut costs by not flying Jim 'arse' Rosenthal and Tony Jardine to every race. They have not gone to Malaysia at all, and not to Japan this year or last.

Murray Walker's commentary has now become even more mistake-ridden and is now an embarrasment to hear.

The duration of post-race analysis has substantially decreased over the last two seasons. ITV seem to be in a perennial holy rush to get off air.

We very rarely get to see the whole live post-race press conference, ITV only seeming to focus on the British drivers.

Our highlights programme has shrunk from one hour to thirty minutes.

The advert breaks are ill-placed. ITV think it's acceptable to ruin a driver's cool-down victory lap with an advert break. We got one halfway through Schumi's championship-clincher!

ITV's attitude towards F1 fans is now woefully neglectful. They say they don't want to alienate viewers of Corrie and Millionaire by moving their shows, yet hypocritically bend over backwards to satisfy football fans and move them without so much of a second thought.

By not showing the US GP live, they have contravened their broadcast contract with Bernie Ecclestone.

They wilfully broadcast live qualifying and in-car camera footage knowing they had not paid Bernie Ecclestone to do so. They have recently coughed up the cash after Bernie accused them of 'dragging their feet'.

ITV's Duty Office staff fail to answer any of our problems with the above adequately. I got fobbed off with standard replies.

And ITV have signed a contract up to the end of 2006? Heaven spare us all! I'm so fed up with them, I'm currently boycotting ITV and any product advertised in their breaks. I am therefore not surprised at all that RTL won the F1 Broadcaster of the Year award this year!

[hyper!! james]

Jim Rosenthal truly is the most boring man in the world.

You want an exciting anchor? Johnny Herbert is your man!

ITV, show F1 more in depth that the BBC, who just gave you the race and let you get on with it, but the adverts are annoying.

Still, put it this way: At least it isn't on Sky Sports.

[Clatter]

By not showing the US GP live, they have contravened their broadcast contract with Bernie Ecclestone

You forget that they did show it live, only it was on itv2 which only a handful of people get. There was nothing in the contract stipulating what channel it had to be broadcast on.

ITV's treatment of F1 and its fans has been disgracful, and I dont expect it to be any better next year. In fact I wont be at all surprised if they dont move more races to itv2. Its almost as if they dont really want it, in which case hand it back to someone who does.

[Slick]

Unfortunately for this argument I can't get het up about F1 being on ITV2 because I have this channel avaliable to me.

But I tend to agree with the comments in this thread about the VERY poor standard of coverage that ITV is giving it's audience.

Although I hate the idea of paying for watching sport. I think the introduction of pay per view for extra coverage, as in lap times channel and such like could be good for the sport. I still say keep the Main coverage on the FREE channels

[Katherine]

Originally posted by Richie Jenkins
As for arse Rosenthal he supports Oxford United & that makes him the same pillar of evil that Robert Maxwell was. [/B]

So, loser representing channel controlled by losers supports football team that another well-known loser supported. That clears that up, then!

Does anyone think Rosenthal looks like one of those gargoyles you get on curch and cathedral walls?

[nigel red5]

For those of you outside Britain here is the ITV F1 historical background...
When they first started broadcasting the races in 1997 they were fantastic, and i`m sure that it woke up the BBC to some extent with the level of coverage.
During `97 the qualifying coverage used to run for more than 2 hours in some cases.....analysis like you`d never imagine possible. For Brazil that year (post qualifying)Jim Rosenthal, Tony Jardine and Simon Taylor talked for about a full hour about everyone. And there were interviews with i think the first 10 qualifiers.
The same happened for post-race....without fail the top 6 finishers would be interviewed.....and about 45 mins analysis.

However, the housewives were getting agitated.
Then WE lost out.

At the end of `97 Simon Taylor left, disgruntled at the fact that his job (the analysis) was being made shorter and shorter.
Since then the coverage has deteriorated gradually....Katherine has already said most of it.
The post-race analysis, which was on average 45 mins in 1997....has been cut to about 10 mins during the last year
The Martin Brundle gridwalks before the race are now almost non-existent, we have`nt actually had a full live post-race press conference all season during 2000, and there is now the ITV-2 thing (where the US race was shifted onto their sister channel.....this channel is only available through digital or cable, hence not everyone can get it)
I have heard that most of the non-euro races will be shifted onto ITV-2 full time next year......therefor i fear that the present situation regarding British F1 tv coverage will only deteriorate further.

[Katherine]

nigel red5, even when Brundle does the grid-walk, he's so afflicted with Glitterati Brown-Nose Disease, he goes off and shoves the mike under the noses of celebrities like Carol Vorderman, Carol Vorderman I ask you! What in the name of Bernie Ecclestone does she know about F1? Next to bugger all, I'll bet! Has she ever heard of Jos Verstappen, Tom Walkinshaw, Luca di Montezemolo or Flavio Briatore? She probably had a crib sheet prepared for her in advance with helpful things on like

'This four-wheeled thing is a Formula One car'
'The red ones are Ferraris'
'Remember to look knowledgeable'
'David Coulthard is Scottish'

Brundle, interview the people there that MATTER!

[diosh]

You think you got it bad in Britain, out here in NZ, we NEVER get qualifying. Maybe, a 15second section on the news about who got pole, but thats it Most of the races are live, because that means they're late at night here so they don't displace any important programs, however, Malaysia and Japan were delayed several hours for the news.

I have to disagree with you about Murray though Katherine, he rules! It will be a shame to see him go next year. He cracks me up and keeps dull races interesting.

[doohanOK]

Thanks for going off the questions I asked, guys; even though I agree and disagree with what some of you are saying.

Does anyone know exactly the fee ITV are paying?

I am aware that the contract extension is 2002-2007, but does anyone have financial figures?

regards,
doohanOK.

[nigel red5]

Doohanok,
I believe that ITVs initial agreement with Bernie - for 1997 - 2001, cost them £60 million.
I`m pretty sure that is the figure that they quoted at the time....

[hyper!! james]

Jim Rosenthal gargoyle gag © Frank Skinner/David Badiel 1998

[Katherine]

Originally posted by hyper!! james
Jim Rosenthal gargoyle gag © Frank Skinner/David Badiel 1998

Really? I didn't know that! I thought they'd gone their separate ways since Fantasy Football League finished in 1996. Are they still together now? Anyone know? And does anyone remember the Jason Lee Pineapple Head running joke? I remember Jason Lee got really hacked off with Skinner and Baddiel for that!